Bui Tien Dung: Viettel relishing AFC Champions League test against Ulsan Hyundai

After bouncing between Vietnam’s top two leagues over the past 15 years, Viettel gained promotion to the top flight in 2018 and two years later were crowned champions of their country after finishing two points clear of Hanoi FC.

That title success saw the Hanoi-based club qualify directly to the 2021 AFC Champions League group stage as they became the first Vietnamese side to appear in the competition since Becamex Binh Duong in 2016.

And there could be few bigger introductions to the tournament than opening against last year’s winners Ulsan Hyundai.

“This is a very big challenge, especially in the first game,” admitted Tien Dung, whose team have also been drawn alongside Thailand’s BG Pathum United and the winners of the play-off between China PR’s Shanghai SIPG and Kaya FC-Iloilo of the Philippines in Group F.

“I’ve been very impressed by the quality of Ulsan Hyundai, and they have five players in the national team, so their strength is obvious. We know we have to remain focused throughout if we want to stop their attacking players.

“However, facing a powerhouse like that gives us so much determination. I am looking forward to such a test and I hope we can get a good result against the defending champions.”

The 25-year-old Viettel skipper began his career with the club and was part of the side that gained promotion back to the top flight in 2018 before ending local rivals Hanoi FC’s two-year reign in 2020.

And the timing couldn’t have been better as an expanded AFC Champions League group stage meant, for the first time since 2016, the Vietnamese champions gained direct entry into the competition.

“We had only been back in V.League 1 for two seasons when we won the title; no other Vietnamese side has achieved such a feat in more than 10 years,” noted Tien Dung.

“Every time we step onto the pitch we carry the Viettel spirit; our strength is in our unity and discipline, and that helped us return to the top of Vietnamese football. It was a victory for the team and our great fans.

“Now we are all very excited to be part of the AFC Champions League, not only because it’s our first time here, but also because we are representing all of Vietnam.

“Our aim is to do as well as we can in each match; we want to achieve as many ‘firsts’ as possible. On a personal level and as the captain, I want to keep our defensive line strong, keep as many clean sheets as we can and, if possible, even score some goals.”

While Viettel may have yet to appear in the AFC Champions League, Tien Dung has plenty of experience of continental football in recent years as he has been a key part of the rise of the national team.

The defender was in the side that, alongside the likes of Nguyen Quang Hai and Nguyen Cong Phuong, famously reached the AFC U23 Championship China 2018 final to spark widespread celebrations in the Southeast Asian country as fans took to the streets in their thousands.

Later that year the Golden Stars won the AFF (ASEAN Football Federation) Cup before, in early 2019, he scored the winning penalty in the Round of 16 against Jordan as Vietnam advanced to the AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019 quarter-finals.

“It’s not just me who has been part of Vietnam’s success but also [teammates] Que Ngoc Hai, Nguyen Trong Hoang and Nguyen Hoang Duc,” said Tien Dung.

“Our personal experiences in Asian competitions will be very helpful, but what will help us achieve success in the AFC Champions League is the strength and togetherness of the team. As captain, I want to share my experience to my teammates so that everyone can be confident.”

And Tien Dung has every reason to approach the competition with confidence as he recently returned from Asian Qualifiers duty in the United Arab Emirates, where two wins from three games saw Vietnam advance to the final round of FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Qualifiers for the very first time.

“Football in Vietnam is really progressing; the national team have made the final round of the Qualifiers and we are up to 92nd in the FIFA World Rankings,” added Tien Dung, whose team have also confirmed their place at the AFC Asian Cup China 2023.

“We are taking big steps to compete at continental and world level and, by doing this, we can learn more and become stronger. Our domestic league is also improving and I hope to see more V.League clubs in the AFC Champions League in the future.”